Triple Dare
by Hoo-ah
Summary: Glorfindel stumbles upon Legolas and Aragorn in the forest, bickering unceasingly over a challenge that Aragorn isn’t so sure about carrying out.


TITLE: Triple Dare  
  
SUMMARY: Glorfindel stumbles upon Legolas and Aragorn in the forest, bickering unceasingly over a challenge that Aragorn isn't so sure about carrying out.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Thanks to "Ice Age" and "The Mummy" for certain quotes. Nothing is mine.  
  
* * *  
  
The leaves were a luscious emerald hue and the wind warm but refreshing. A distant waterfall with water crashing into a large lake drowned out the melodies of birds singing to the trees. All was peaceful save perhaps a scattering squirrel searching for its food.  
  
Spring was the best time to stroll in the forest, and Glorfindel took advantage of this. He left to find some much needed peace, and was glad to have found it.  
  
It was a pity his peace was disturbed by loud voices squabbling in the distance. The voices were so loud, it was a wonder that neighboring cities didn't complain about the obnoxious noises. Curious and slightly annoyed, the elf lord decided to find the sources of the argument, and perhaps lay it to a rest.  
  
"I dare you."  
  
"No."  
  
"Double dare."  
  
"No."  
  
"Triple dare."  
  
The voices became louder and louder as he came closer, and Glorfindel soon recognized them as the voices of the King of Gondor and the Lord of Ithilien. In the heat of their quarrel, neither noticed the elf lord approach, though Glorfindel made no effort to silence his steps.  
  
"No matter how many times you multiply the dare, I am simply not folly enough to follow through," Aragorn persisted, crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest. There was no way he would let the elf persuade him to do something this extreme.  
  
Glorfindel smiled, growing increasingly curious as he leaned on a sturdy oak tree and observed the two. He decided that to interfere would be an ill choice; he would let them fight it out themselves, whatever the dare was.  
  
Unfortunately for the king, Legolas was also as tenacious. "It'll be fun, I swear. You feel the adrenaline rush pulsing through your veins like a disease, overtaking your very soul and existence. The pleasure fulfills you, and all your troubles merely vanish into thin air for the moment," he described, a dreamy look in his eyes as he told it.  
  
"It is sinful, spiteful, and solely for the sick-minded," Aragorn retorted.  
  
Legolas smirked. "I bet you can't say that five times fast."  
  
"Don't change the subject," the Ranger commanded.  
  
"Yes, my liege," the elf sang with a growing grin.  
  
Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. What on Middle-earth could they be squabbling about that was so "spiteful"? And if it were truly that horrid, they would most certainly not inform the elf lord on the matters in fear of hurting both their pride and dignity. He decided that it was best to remain hidden in order for the truth to be revealed to him.  
  
"Don't test my patience, Legolas," Aragorn warned. "You are lucky enough to persuade me this far, but I will NOT follow through."  
  
Legolas sighed, and sulked slightly. It earned him a slightly surprised look from Aragorn, for elves rarely sulk. But the shocked face was immediately concealed by the strict, stubborn look he had perfected over the many years. "No, Legolas. Absolutely not."  
  
A branch snapped in two. Glorfindel cursed in his own mind when he realized that the branch snapped underneath his own foot, while moving in attempt to get closer. He quickly leapt up into the camouflage into a tree before Legolas spun around to spot the intruder.  
  
"Did you hear that?" the prince asked.  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
Legolas blinked and stared at the spot where Glorfindel once stood, when Aragorn called his attention again. "You're wasting our time here. It's getting dark, let's leave."  
  
The elf turned back to Aragorn, resuming his original objective. The sound was quickly forgotten, much to Glorfindel's relief. "Not before we do it," Legolas ordered.  
  
"No."  
  
"Just once, please?" Legolas begged.  
  
Glorfindel was disappointed when he saw that he could see nothing from the treetops because of the bushy leaves, but he dared not move again. The prince had exceptional hearing even by elven standards, and a slight rustle would give away his position. It was pure luck that he was not caught the first time.  
  
Fortunately, the elf lord could still hear everything loud and clear, though his sight was obscured.  
  
"If you don't…" he heard the elf prince warn. Glorfindel could almost see Legolas flash his famous devious grin in his mind.  
  
Aragorn hesitated. "If I don't…?"  
  
"I'll tell Arwen what you and Boromir did during that long and perilous journey to Mordor."  
  
He paused again, and narrowed his eyes to threatening slits. "You wouldn't…"  
  
"I'd say, 'Arwen! Did you know that Aragorn and Boromir were--'"  
  
"Pippin played a trick on us and gave us unnaturally strong pipeweed!" Aragorn argued in his defense.  
  
"My, my, my. Boromir sure looked pleased after you--"  
  
The King was now getting angry at his friend. "It was not my fault, we were… inebriated."  
  
However, Legolas would not allow him to leave so easily. "What's done is done. Your dear wife deserves to know about your--"  
  
"Ok!" Aragorn interrupted before Legolas could continue. "Let's get this over with," he sighed deeply.  
  
Glorfindel wasn't sure whether to tumble off the tree in laughter or faint in shock. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to know what the dare was anymore.  
  
"Undress," he heard Legolas command.  
  
What kind of challenge was this? That confirmed it: the elf lord officially wished he had not stumbled upon the arguing couple in the first place. But alas, it was too late to back out now.  
  
"Can't I do this clothed?" Aragorn pleaded.  
  
"Just do it. It'll be fun, I promise."  
  
Glorfindel made a face of pure horror as he perched on a branch. He grasped onto the trunk tightly in fear of losing his balance in surprise.  
  
Aragorn probably felt the same way as Glorfindel: unbelieving. "This is peer pressure," he whined.  
  
Unfortunately, the elf refused to give up no matter how hard the ranger pleaded. "I'll tell you what. You can scream if you want to, ok?"  
  
"But what if--"  
  
"Shut up and disrobe yourself," Legolas snapped. "I want to see that gorgeous body all the ladies are always swooning over."  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Don't beg anything from me, just strip!"  
  
Rustling was heard from below, and Glorfindel froze. This couldn't be what he imagined it to be… there must be a misunderstanding.  
  
The elf spoke again, snapping Glorfindel out of his state of shock. "Ok, you ready?"  
  
"A ranger is always ready."  
  
"Hah, right. Now lean over a little…"  
  
Aragorn hesitated, fear and doubt beginning to cloud his mind. His valor quickly left him as he realized the possible consequences. "Legolas, I can't do this."  
  
"You defeated a Dark Lord, surely you can perform a task as simple as this," Legolas sighed, rolling his eyes tiredly.  
  
"Legolas, I am a King. I have a wife."  
  
The elf sighed again, tapping his foot impatiently on the ground. "… So?"  
  
"Think of Arwen."  
  
"She doesn't have to know."  
  
"Think of my children. What will they think of their father?"  
  
"You don't have any children."  
  
"Think of my future children."  
  
Glorfindel's jaw almost touched the ground. He kept repeating to himself that it was a misunderstanding, and that he must have misinterpreted something. But yet, everything added up to one logical conclusion. Legolas was going to…  
  
"You're talking like your death wish has been granted," Legolas growled wearily before the elf lord was able to finish his train of thought. "This isn't going to kill you."  
  
"But I don't see how this can be… pleasurable."  
  
"For Valar's sake, get a spine."  
  
"Legolas, I don't think I want to--"  
  
Aragorn's plead was abruptly interrupted by a loud scream of terror, clearly from the King himself. Glorfindel knew he needed to act fast. With his elf reflexes, he leapt off from the tree and prepared himself to do what he needed to.  
  
And to his surprise, there was no one before him. He blinked, listening to the environment for anything out of the ordinary, but there was no sound save the roaring of the waterfall in front of him.  
  
Then, his ears perked as he heard a faint shriek. He turned and faced the edge of the waterfall, curiosity overwhelming him once again. Glorfindel ran to the edge, and saw two figures descending quickly towards the bottom of the cascades. One figure was definitely the source of the screaming.  
  
The two crashed into the deep lake with two small splashes, and Glorfindel sighed deeply in relief. This had certainly been an interesting day.  
  
At the base of the waterfall, the elf emerged first. The King swam up a while after, gasping for breath desperately. "WHOO! YAH! Who's up for round TWO?!" Legolas screamed, shaking the water violently from his hair like an animal. Droplets splashed onto the grumpy king, who obviously didn't appreciate that too much.  
  
Aragorn turned and glared at the young prince. "Remind me never to take advice from you again, especially those that involve leaping off waterfalls to a certain death."  
  
"It wasn't that bad. You're just no fun," Legolas pouted, splashing a handful of water in the Ranger's face.  
  
"This was certainly not my idea of amusement. That was pure insanity," Aragorn frowned as he began swimming towards the shore. "Stupid elf."  
  
Legolas shook his head in shame, ignoring that last remark. "Well, you can bite me if I care."  
  
"I don't eat fatty food."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"…Nothing."  
  
"I dare you to say it again."  
  
"No."  
  
"Double dare."  
  
"No."  
  
"Triple dare." 


End file.
